ZAU pin removal

[thedesbois]

Can anyone doing this or having done it document the process in pictures or video please? If you take it apart for cleaning or just made it like that. I'm a visual person.

Don't use my ZAU cause of the voltage drop. I get better conductivity with Chinese attys. And that's sad!

Thanks!

 

[wfo_ak]

I could try next time I need to put a new coil on mine, vaping too well to take it apart now!

 

[thedesbois]

I could try next time I need to put a new coil on mine, vaping too well to take it apart now!

I did take it apart yesterday night. No pictures or videos needed anymore. Don't take it apart if it vapes well!!

Mine was not dirty at all. So my perceived voltage drop was more me vaping some drippers (IGO, Cyclone) and getting used to their higher conductivity.

Now I want to change the spring for a solid post.

 

[wfo_ak]

My newer ZAU has always been clean when I open it, but it still suffers from voltage drop more than I think it should. I think those springs are too resistive. It does alright with a skinny wick at higher resistance, but that's not how I like to vape. It would probably be fine on a VV device i would imagine, but I am limited to 3.7. I use a big solid wick and like a lower resistance to heat it up and it just can't handle it with that spring.

Since replacing it in my old one it is an amazing Vape, they are very well designed other than that issue and are pretty hard to beat any way you get around it.

 

[thedesbois]

...

Since replacing it in my old one it is an amazing Vape, they are very well designed other than that issue and are pretty hard to beat any way you get around it.

May I ask what you used to replace spring/pin combo? AC9 post? I was thinking of using a mini DID clone that's not working anymore (threads gone, that thing was crap!). I think it's center post is platted brass so I could cut it to length and buff out the chrome layer.

Did you had to make the bottom insulator hole larger? How did you do it?

Thanks mate!

Denis

 

[wfo_ak]

I took my Z-Atty down to the hardware store and found a stainless steel bolt that was the right size and threads to match the old post. Then with the old post in place to act as a depth gauge I drilled out the bottom of the insulator with I think a 9/64" drill bit until I hit the old post. Then just thread the new bolt down from the top and it's good. Was a tight fit the first couple of times I ran the bolt in there while it cut the threads but works great now.

For the positive wire connection I opted for a spring and washer like on the AC9 and it's been working well, I couldn't find a washer with a small enough OD that fit on the bolt though so had to grind it down a little to make room for the wick.

 

[thedesbois]

I took my Z-Atty down to the hardware store and found a stainless steel bolt that was the right size and threads to match the old post. Then with the old post in place to act as a depth gauge I drilled out the bottom of the insulator with I think a 9/64" drill bit until I hit the old post. Then just thread the new bolt down from the top and it's good. Was a tight fit the first couple of times I ran the bolt in there while it cut the threads but works great now.

For the positive wire connection I opted for a spring and washer like on the AC9 and it's been working well, I couldn't find a washer with a small enough OD that fit on the bolt though so had to grind it down a little to make room for the wick.

Oh I get it. You replace the whole top post and bottom pin and spring. Everything. Wow. Makes sense. Thanks!!

 

[wfo_ak]

Yes, easiest way to do it, only took about 30 minutes and doesn't need much tool wise while still leaving an adjustable post. Maybe some day I will do something fancier but I'm pretty darn happy with it as it is now. Good luck with yours, let us know how it turns out!

 

[thedesbois]

Well I didn't take the same route you did. Hardware stores closed now.

Tested resistance between top post and bottom spring, stock setup: 0.04 ohms (after taking into account my meter internal resistance).

I took apart a power supply cable and extracted one 'twine' of naked copper wire. Twisted it on itself so that no single strand would stick out. Cut it to exact length of Zen's spring. Inserted spring back in with copper wire inside. Put back top screw. Done. 0.00 resistance.

Only concern could be some strand of copper wire getting out of the spring and touching inside the tube, creating a short. But I highly doubt it will as it's top & bottom ends are sandwiched between top screw and bottom pin.

Wish Zen would offer non spring normal posts. He must be aware of this issue. Oh well...

 

[wfo_ak]

That's an interesting way to do it. Only worry I would have is having to clean the copper when it starts to oxidize, wonder if that will be an issue or not with it sealed up there. Can the pin still push into it so you don't have to fiddle with it if you change devices? That would be a nice benefit of doing it that way. The tube is insulated all the way through, so you shouldn't have to worry about it shorting.

Might have to try that on my other ZAU that has parts still in decent condition and see what happens. What resistance coils are you running?

 

[thedesbois]

If the copper ever needs cleaning, I'll just replace it with another one. I have a 6 feet long power supply cable leftover that I used to extract 1 inch from.

The pin still pushes in/out as a stock unit. Perfect.

I normally run either around 1.8 when I use a Kick and around 1.0 without. Have not built a new coil on the ZAU yet. Will let you know if it makes a difference. Without Kick, as it's where it should show the most improvement.

How is the tube insulated? Isn't it part of the whole ground assembly?

 

[wfo_ak]

Thanks for the great idea, going to have to try that with my other ZAU and see how it works compared to having the solid post.

The insulator is a hollow tube that's running all the way through the post, so only way it could short out is if the copper managed to escape the spring, make all the turns, slide past the pin then make it to a grounding surface. I can't see it being able to it.

 

[thedesbois]

Thanks for the great idea, going to have to try that with my other ZAU and see how it works compared to having the solid post.

The insulator is a hollow tube that's running all the way through the post, so only way it could short out is if the copper managed to escape the spring, make all the turns, slide past the pin then make it to a grounding surface. I can't see it being able to it.

Let me know how it works out for you compared to a solid post. I'll wait and decide then if it's worth it to go solid.

Ah! There is a straw like insulator in there. I didn't notice it when I opened mine. good news. It's super safe. Unless I have crazy alien copper wire.

Thanks!

 

[thedesbois]

No need to let me know. It was a fail for me. The copper wire got stuck in the spring and would not deploy and make contact anymore.

So I used a wall picture hanger nail of exact size as the mini pin that sticks out. Bent the nail a little so that it touches the plastic wall inside as to make it not fall out. Removed the spring and pin and inserted the nail, measured and cut the pointy side, polished both ends. Perfect connection. 0.6 volts loss under load with a 1.6 ohms coil before. Now 0.3 volts with same build.

Added a piece of cork screw inside the chamber to enhance flavor. Works wonders.

Now my ZEN is to my liking. After 6 months of fiddling with it.

 

[LaVsy]

No need to let me know. It was a fail for me. The copper wire got stuck in the spring and would not deploy and make contact anymore.

So I used a wall picture hanger nail of exact size as the mini pin that sticks out. Bent the nail a little so that it touches the plastic wall inside as to make it not fall out. Removed the spring and pin and inserted the nail, measured and cut the pointy side, polished both ends. Perfect connection. 0.6 volts loss under load with a 1.6 ohms coil before. Now 0.3 volts with same build.

Added a piece of cork screw inside the chamber to enhance flavor. Works wonders.


Now my ZEN is to my liking. After 6 months of fiddling with it.

What kind of cork screw you added to?

Pictures would do best.

 

[thedesbois]

What kind of cork screw you added to?

Pictures would do best.

Sorry my bad. Original language is French, not English.

Not cork screw but wine bottle cork cap.

Here:
http://imageshack.us/a/img5/1821/img0335a.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img818/6206/img0336oc.jpg

As you can see I run it using cotton wick too. As per this video:
Tutorial: Silica Wick on a Zenesis ASH - YouTube

I guess it's not a ZEN anymore. But works so much better, for me at least.

 

[LaVsy]

so basically you are trying to reduced the size of the chamber

 

[thedesbois]

so basically you are trying to reduced the size of the chamber

Exactly. It works as is right now but the thing falls when I take the top cap off. If you have a more practical solution, let me know.

Thanks

 

[Fogone]

Anyone know If I can use the solid post technique with the zenesis2?

 

[kiba]

Sorry my bad. Original language is French, not English.

Not cork screw but wine bottle cork cap.

Here:
http://imageshack.us/a/img5/1821/img0335a.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img818/6206/img0336oc.jpg

As you can see I run it using cotton wick too. As per this video:
Tutorial: Silica Wick on a Zenesis ASH - YouTube

I guess it's not a ZEN anymore. But works so much better, for me at least.

Looks like you and I think alike, lol. .. im actually working on a reduced chamber top cap for zen devices right now, looks exactly the same except without the logo. Im also thinking of adding a groove for the o ring to hold it on better, that or mill out a second slot for an o ring under the first on the atty itself But the going is slow bc im doing it on a minilathe and its not the best.

Anyone know If I can use the solid post technique with the zenesis2?

Yes, you can. I replaced my zag post with a brass one long ago

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